Merlis's Notebook
by Meeshkacat
Summary: A sequel to the story The Gold Ring, this story will follow along with the notebook Merlis starts writing in as he tries to find a way back to Anna, his human lover.
1. Cover

**[The cover is a black and white composition notebook with nothing written on it. Its worn down as if someone has been using it for years.]**


	2. Page 1

**[College ruled lines filed down the paper. Words in pencil were sitting on the lines with no stray marks to be seen.]**

 **[In the corner of the page, "H=Human world I=Inkling world" is written in pen.]**

 **[Forceful handwriting starts off the entry.]**

Day 1 Without Anna I

 **[I is written in pen.]**

Spyke told me to keep a journal, to write down everything that I felt. I told him that I didn't have time for things like this. I need to find a way to get back to Anna, not spend time writing in this thing but he kept insisting. Said it would help. Also insisted that I stay at the apartment for today. "Don't be rash," he said. I don't see how that's going to help me. I need to be out there, finding a way back to Anna. Now!

 **[The handwriting changes to one that signals more time was put into writing.]**

I couldn't lie. My emotions were a bit jumpy. Spyke had to bring me back to the apartment after I stormed out. I actually tossed this journal in the corner, hoping to forget about it.

I don't even know what I was going to do. What can I do? The ring is destroyed along with the research building it came from. It's not like there is another ring out there waiting for me to use. I'll have to find another way or make my own.

But like Spyke said, I'm going to use this time to think.

 **[The following sentence was erased many times before finally being written, leaving a gray smudge underneath it.]**

The sun started to rise. I don't know why I feel like writing that but its giving me hope. I feel like Anna would love the sunrises. I don't think she ever did get to see one here.

I find myself lying my hand on Anna's folded clothes when I write. Is that weird?


	3. Page 2

**[A drawing of Anna took up the whole page. The eyes had many more gray smudges than the rest of the drawing, signaling that more time was spent on perfecting them.]**


	4. Page 3

**[The next sentence was written in a completely different handwriting.]**

Papil was here! :)

 **[Handwriting changes back to normal.]**

Papil came by. It's been a while since I saw him. Definitely a cheerful guy. Not to mention nose-y. Kept me busy the whole day. I didn't get back until night had already started to fall. I didn't expect myself to even crack a smile until I saw Anna again. Guess I considered him more of a friend than I thought I did but I'm too tired to write about what we did so I'm going to bed.


	5. Page 4

**[Neat handwriting starts off the entry.]**

Day 2 Without Anna I

 **[I is written in pen.]**

Spent the day with Papil again. I found out I got replaced on Asdil's team. To be honest, I'm not surprised. I wasn't into the whole turf war tournament team thing as Papil was. Apparently, the new member was better than I was by a lot. She's a roller main that specializes in sneaking around the map. A little envious that she could be so good with a weapon like a roller. The team wins rounds by larger margins so good for them I guess. Anyways, we talked about the human world and how Anna and I got separated. It felt like a small weight rise off my chest when I told him. Talking about it felt like I didn't have to carry the whole weight. Papil was happy to listen to me spill it out. I wasn't used to Inklings doing things like that for me.

I decided to go back and check out the research area first thing in the morning. I've already packed a backpack. I'm going to take the train up to the outskirts of town and walk the rest of the way. I think I remember the way there. I did have to walk to the train station all the way from there only two days ago. There might be something left over from the explosion. It's a start at least.

 **[The handwriting starts to become lighter.]**

I miss Anna. What is she doing right now? With the reversed time, she's probably waking up soon. I hope she's keeping herself safe and not doing anything risky like I was thinking about. I don't know how much time it's going to take to get back to her. If I had to guess, maybe a couple months. Only a couple of months.

She'll wait for me. I know it.


	6. Page 5

**[A drawing of Anna's back with her turned around and smiling took up the page.]**

 **[At the bottom of the page the following sentence is written with a grey smudge starting it off.]**

Well, I need to get to bed so I can wake up early…


	7. Page 6

Day 3 Without Anna I

 **[I is written in pen.]**

I usually write at the end of the day but I wanted to do a little something before I left.

 **[The following words were written in blocky letters.]**

Good Luck Merlis!

 **[Handwriting back to normal.]**

Ok, I'm off.

 **[Handwriting becomes shake-y.]**

Writing while walking is harder than I thought. Trees cover the place and thankfully the sun can still shine a few rays through the leaves but that's probably not going to last long. I re

 **[A long stray mark stretches across the page.]**

Stupid rock. In fact, there seems to be quite a few big pieces of rock around.

I wond It's rubble. That means I'm close.

 **[Handwriting becomes normal.]**

It's completely destroyed. There's rubble as far as I can see. Bits of wall about a foot or two high are still standing. Trees are knocked down all around the area. It feels so weird to think I was here only a few days ago. I'm going to see if there's any way to get downstairs.

I found a staircase. A big piece of a wall is sort of blocking the way but I think I can still squeeze through in squid form. I'm going to need to leave my backpack out here but I'll take my flashlight and I guess the notebook in case I need to write something down to remember.

There's probably going to be bodies.

 **[Handwriting is a little shake-y.]**

I can smell the death. I try not to use the flashlight if I can, relying on my memory and the soft glow my body gives out to guide me. From time to time, a glow appears in the distance and I know that is someone (can't tell if Inkling or Octoling) who didn't make it out. I'm walking down a long hallway so I'm probably right about to

I found the room but someone's been here before me. There's a piece of paper lying on the ground and it's addressed to me.

"Merlis

I know you won't get it yet but whatever you do, don't let yourself be seen by yourself. If you do, we"

Now this is creepy. Someone knew I was going to be here but what does it mean? How can I see myself? A mirror? Or

 **[Handwriting is sharp.]**

Something is buzzing.

It's getting louder.

There's a white light coming from the center of the room.

 **[Handwriting becomes sloppy and light.]**

It's It's the ring.


	8. Page 7

**[Normal handwriting starts off the entry.]**

Day 4 Without Anna H

 **[H is written in pen.]**

The ring isn't destroyed. Once I recognized that the glowing was coming from the ring, I rushed to touch it and I got teleported.

Right now, the black ring box with the ring inside is in my pocket. I'm afraid touching it will bring me back so I've been kind of ignoring it. But...shouldn't the ring be destroyed because of the explosion it created, right? Shattered to pieces? I I don't know what to think.

 **[Handwriting is flowing.]**

The sun is starting to rise in the distance and I can spot a few humans walking along the sidewalk. I made it. I'm back in Anna's world. I think I'm at the park. It looks a bit different from what I remember but it's definitely the place.

 **[Handwriting becomes rushed.]**

I hope Anna is still at her house. I want to see her so badly.

 **[Handwriting returns to normal.]**

This isn't

I'm

Once I made it to the house, I thought I saw her. Anna stood there, looking up at their house with one of the biggest smile I've ever saw her have. I questioned the giant truck that was filled with boxes next to her but didn't give it much thought besides that.

A guy walked up behind her, laying his arm around her. At first, my head was telling me to rush up there but something clicked as I stared at them both.

That wasn't Anna but Mia, her mom. She looked so young that I

I knew that meant Anna hasn't even been born yet. Everything we went through together hasn't even happened.

The ring teleported me too far in the past.

I I can't stay here.

I need to go back.

 **[Handwriting is sharp and jagged.]**

The ring isn't working.

I'm touching it and it's not doing anything!

I'm stuck!

No no no no. This can't be happening.

 **[Handwriting smooths out a bit.]**

Oh no. Mia is coming over here. I should have left instead of sit here under this tree. Stupid.


	9. Page 8

**[A large drawing done of a spiraling flower drawn by someone else takes up the page.]**


	10. Page 9

**[Handwriting is smooth.]**

It hurts. It's hurts how much Mia reminds me of Anna. I want to see her so badly. I I

 **[There's a water stain on the page.]**

What can I do? The ring doesn't respond to my touch and

If I'm stuck here, I'll grow old and have to watch Anna grow up from a small child.

 **[Handwriting changes.]**

But what about when she meets me? The past me? What would happen if I meet my younger self?

The note. The note said something about that. But who

 **[The word is cut off in the middle of the o.]**


	11. Page 10

**[Normal handwriting starts off the entry.]**

Day 5 Without Anna I

 **[I is written in pen.]**

(At least I think it is cause the switching between day and night is messing with me.)

I'm back in Inkopolis so I guess my small freak out wasn't needed but I've landed too far in the future. Thankfully it's only by a few months (according to the stranger I asked on the street) but I'm still confused. Is the ring randomly teleporting me or is there a time limit of sorts? Maybe a trigger of some kind?

Oh, I think Papil is walking over here and someone's following him. Probably a new girlfriend. Wait...it was him who always had a girlfriend, right? I don't remember.

 **[Handwriting becomes looser.]**

Wait a minute.

 **[Handwriting is slightly rushed but the letters are still neat.]**

She's human! There's a human in Inkopolis!

Another human besides Anna has walked these streets.

Even though she's wearing a hat to hide her hair and ears, there was something about her that reminded me of a human.

Papil said he found her at Marooner's Bay, inside the old ship and contained in a crate of some kind while he was doing Salmon Run. She didn't have any of her memories when she woke up but she says she gets these blurry images sometimes.

 **[Handwriting is flowing.]**

They look cute together.

I can tell by the way Papil glances at her from time to time that he really does like her. I'm rooting for you, Papil!

 **[Handwriting is normal.]**

Would she have to hide her whole life tho, a human in a now humanless world? When Anna first disappeared to this time, I was so afraid.

 **[Handwriting fades.]**

I thought…


	12. Page 11

**[Handwriting is back to normal.]**

I told Papil about the ring, about this whole thing. I wasn't sure how much he even knew about everything that's going on with Anna and me. For some reason, his attitude was completely different about it. I think...he finally understands a bit of what I'm going through personally. A little funny how we both now have human "girlfriends" (he hasn't exactly asked her yet). When he had to go, I told him goodbye. Not 'See ya later' or "Talk to you next time' because I don't know if I'll ever see him again.

 **[There's a small doodle of Papil.]**

Ah. My backpack. It's still at the laboratory place.

 **[There are dots littered in a small area above the word place.]**

It takes too long to get there and I don't know when I'm going to teleport again so I guess I can leave it there. Nothing of much importance was in it anyways. I'll just head home for now.

 **[Handwriting is frantic.]**

Someone broke into my apartment. It looks like a literal tornado tore it up inside, having a field day. I n

 **[The word is cut off.]**


	13. Page 12

**[Normal handwriting starts off the entry.]**

6 H

 **[H is written in pen.]**

(I'm positive it hasn't been six days so I'm now just counting how many times I teleport.)

I'm back in Anna's time though it's definitely not the same timeframe. I'm by the library this time but the buildings around it are new. If I had to guess, this time period is past the moment I met Anna. The buildings have a new, neat look to them. Not to mention that they are taller and more of them around. Question is how far is this time from when I met Anna? 10 years? 30?

And my apartment. It was locked when I got there so how? Unles

 **[Word is cut off.]**

 **[A pencil streak goes off the page.]**


	14. Page 13

**[Slightly frantic handwriting starts off the entry.]**

7 I

 **[I is written in pen.]**

I saw myself. My older self. He turned the corner and our eyes met instantaneous. I He buckled down in pain, pain looking like that of getting stabbed in the stomach. Clear blood was dripping from his mouth and and what have I done? Did I just kill my future self?

I got teleported before I could do anything. I

 **[Handwriting changes to a more flowing style.]**

I had some time to think about the whole event and doesn't seeing my future self in the human world mean I made it? I must have found a way to stay in the human world and live my days out there!

 **[Handwriting is slightly messy.]**

Or that I'm still teleporting.

 **[Handwriting is normal.]**

I'm at the rubble site. It's still dark outside and I feel like it's only getting darker. My bag isn't here so this is in those days between when the explosion happened and before I got here to investigate.

Wait. If I go back down to the lab area, would I find the ring still there? Would that note be there? Unless this is when I'm supposed to leave it for my past self.

I don't know why, but I'm finding myself singing...


	15. Page 14

**[A page is ripped out of the notebook.]**


	16. Page 15

**[Rushed handwriting starts off the entry.]**

8 H

 **[H is written in pen.]**

I know how to get the ring to work!

There were a few pages lying on the floor when I walked into the room explaining it all-from my future self. It was a bit rushed and not to mention written in pen but thankfully still readable.

It's just going to take some searching, luck, and time.

 **[Handwriting is normal.]**

Also, I did leave the note but I didn't know what to put after the word we. Though now I don't see the point of it because I had to see my future self in pain to even know to leave the note...this is so confusing.

I just really hope I didn't kill my future future self.


	17. Page 16

**[Normal handwriting starts off the entry.]**

9 I

 **[I is written in pen.]**

I swear this ring teleports at the most random times. One time it'll take 3 hours but the next it's only 3 minutes.

I hope when the future me says it'll take a while, it's like maybe a few months. Future me should have been more specific but maybe there's a reason why I didn't.


	18. Page 17

**[Normal handwriting starts off the entry.]**

19 I

 **[I is written in pen.]**

I forget that the notebook doesn't automatically teleport with me. Had to wait until I got transported to the right time period to find it again. Thankfully no one touched it. Then again it was just lying in a rubble site that basically no one knew about. Nothing much happened between now and last time I wrote. It's been like a month now? I need to be faster in finding these objects.

 **[Handwriting has a slight flowing look to it.]**

Been stuck in the Inkling world for a week now. I guess it gives me time to find what I need. No idea how but I just might need to look harder. The sooner I find these things, the sooner I'll get to Anna. Faster Merlis, faster.


	19. Page 18

20 H

 **[H is written in pen.]**

 **[A huge drawing of a park takes up the page.]**


	20. Page 19

**[Normal handwriting starts off the entry.]**

26 H

 **[H is written in pen.]**

I guess luck isn't on my side. I'm probably not going to write in here as often anymore. I need to concentrate.


	21. Page 20

27 I

 **[I is written in pen.]**

 **[There are doodles littering the page.]**


	22. Page 21

29 I

 **[I is written in pen.]**

 **[There are grey smudges about five lines down the page. Only a few letters can be made out.]**

I...e...n...p


	23. Page 22

**[Rushed handwriting starts off the entry but eventually becomes more steady.]**

31 I

 **[I is written in pen.]**

Guess who won the tournament? Asdil's team. Little surprised to be truthful. Didn't think having someone so obsessed with winning as leader could actually win. The whole blinded by greed thing and all but good for them I guess. Maybe she changed her ways. I should ask Papil about that but I have no idea if I could could even met him.


	24. Page 23

**[Normal handwriting starts off the entry.]**

33 I

 **[I is written in pen.]**

Finding a specific inkling is harder than I thought. Would have been helpful if future me gave more details but I guess I'll find out why I didn't eventually. Eventually.

Ah. Not sure if I wrote this yet but the ring is still translating everything. So I guess it's not completely wacky and weird.

Been waiting for the bus, reading some of my past entries when I noticed something wrong. I've been naming every entry the number of times I've teleported but when I first starting doing that, I started at 6. At that time, I didn't teleport 6 times, only 3. So instead of 33, it should be 30. I'm not going to bother changing all the entries now.


	25. Page 24

**[Normal handwriting starts off the entry.]**

34 H

 **[H is written in pen.]**

Just realized that I don't have human currency. Funny really. Finally found one of the objects I needed at a store after almost two weeks here only to realize I always got given things because of Anna. Money was a thing here, Merlis.

This is going to be harder than I thought. I guess I could always ask for donations. $2.99 better not be a lot.

 **[Handwriting changes to a more relaxed look.]**

Right now, I'm sitting on a park bench and watching people walk past. Sometimes when I look at them, I wond

 **[The word is cut off.]**


	26. Page 25

**[Normal handwriting starts off the entry.]**

35 I

 **[I is written in pen.]**

I got myself another bag because the ring doesn't want to bring me back to the rubble area. Now I don't have to carry the notebook in my hand everywhere I go. I swear I almost lost this pencil about 5 times.


	27. Page 26

**[Normal handwriting starts off the entry.]**

36 H

 **[H is written in pen.]**

I'm starting to get used to this teleporting back and forth though now that I think about it, I shouldn't be.

 **[A line across the page is filled in with pencil.]**


	28. Page 27

**[Normal handwriting starts off the entry.]**

40 H

 **[H is written in pen.]**

I'm starting to doubt myself. Like my future self. I've been sending myself to collect all these random things but when I get them, they're like nonsense things. How's a paper cup supposed to help me? A pen?

I think future me had another objective than giving me a scavenger hunt. It almost feels like it's a way to keep me busy...or to distract me. Or who knows, maybe these things really will help me get back to Anna.

 **[Handwriting is slightly rushed.]**

How much longer is this going to last? When I first started, I thought it'll take maybe a month but look at me now, over a year in and no actual progress. A year. All I've been doing is wandering between two time periods and I know I can't stop. I made myself a promise.


	29. Page 28

**[A giant drawing of a human who resembles Anna takes up the page.]**

 **[The following sentence is written at the bottom.]**

I'm starting to forget how she looks like.


	30. Page 29

**[Slightly sloppy handwriting starts off the entry.]**

 **[Everything is now written in pen.]**

44 H

FYI I've decided to start using the pen cause my pencil was starting to lose lead. Can't help smiling a bit when I write with it, reminding me of when Anna first showed me one of these. I also went back and wrote which time period I was in on each entry. It helps me keep track whenever I go back and reread the entries.

 **[Handwriting changes back to normal.]**

You know what I've noticed? Every time I've teleported to the human world, I've not once seen Anna. I've seen her younger and older parents plus grandmother but I'm too afraid if I ask them about Anna, something is going to happen and like...I don't know she won't exist anymore. I've been here for three weeks now? Maybe?

 **[There is a scribbled out word next to three.]**

 **[The handwriting becomes slightly sloppy.]**

Wait…this can't mean that she

No, that can't be what happened. She's stronger than that.

I need to hurry up and find a way to fix this ring.


	31. Page 30

45 I

 **[A drawing fills the page but there's so many mistakes that the subject of the drawing isn't clear.]**

 **[A giant scribble mark starts at the top of the drawing but ends only after a few millimeters.]**


	32. Page 31

**[Rushed, jagged, and sloppy handwriting starts off the entry.]**

 **[Stray marks litter the page.]**

 **[There are dried wet spots on the edges of the page.]**

49 I

I've landed in a war zone. The ground underneath me is vibrating. I can hear explosions and screams everywhere and it's too dark outside to see anything. I'm hiding in some kind of wooden structure th

 **[A sharp line stretches across the page.]**

There's something dripping between the planks of wood and

ink

 **[The word ink fades away.]**

I've teleported right into the middle of the Great War.

I need to run I need to

 **[There's a large, downward tear on the page.]**


	33. Page 32

**[The page is left blank.]**

 **[There's a large, downward tear on the page.]**


	34. Page 33

**[Handwriting is normal.]**

I never knew how human looking octolings used to be. Well I should start off by saying I'm ok. I think I got knocked out by an explosion and when I woke up, I was in an octoling base of sorts. Someone had saved me...or captured me. The octolings here threw me in a room cell thing. It's not that bad in here though. They still bring me food so they can't be that bad. To them, I might have just seemed as a kid stuck in the war zone.

You know what would be funny? If I w

 **[The sentence is cut off.]**


	35. Page 34

**[Normal handwriting starts off the entry.]**

50 H

I might be a psychic. I was just writing about how it would be funny if I just teleported. They might think I was a spy for the inklings cause they couldn't find me again. I feel a little bad but w

 **[The sentence is cut off.]**


	36. Page 35

**[Normal handwriting starts off the entry.]**

51 I

Well, apparently they did think I was a spy. Fortunately enough, Ranth's grandfather was smart enough to understand that something wasn't right with me and decided to question me instead of throwing me in actual prison. Ya, it's crazy. Ranth's grandfather is here. If I remember correctly, Ranth said her grandfather was the one who created the ring. Maybe he can help me figure out what's going on with it.

Right now, I'm waiting for him to come back. I told him about the ring and his eyes widened. Apparently he's working on the same ring right now. It makes me wonder if I teleported to the time period where the ring got stolen by Papil's grandmother or this is some time before that.

Something else that I told him, well more like asked about, is if he knew why when the ring exploded, I found it just fine a few days later because that's something that bothered me when I first found it. He said he had no idea but speculated that because the ring got stolen (ya I told him it got stolen and I hope I didn't mess up some kind of balance of the universe by saying that) while still incomplete, it may have eventually let out a burst of energy that was gathering inside it. I'm hoping I don't teleport away but knocked on the wooden chair anyways.

 **[The handwriting is slightly rushed.]**

The ring. It's cracked almost in half that I'm afraid if I touch it, it'll break completely. I had opened up the ring box to show him his future work and there it was. What's going to happen when the ring breaks?! Would that be it? No more teleporting? This is my only chance to get back with Anna and it when that is gone…

Ranth's grandfather said he could try to create another ring but who knows how long that's going to take. Not to mention he's still trying to create the original ring. I really hope he can think of something quickly. He is the creator of the ring.

 **[Handwriting is sloppier than before.]**

He said he could do it! I just need to find something of Anna's. The first thing I thought of was her clothes I still had at the apartment. Not sure because the ring is cracked if it'll still teleport but it better teleport me to my apartment and not in the middle of nowhere. Now everything really is up to luck and time.


	37. Page 36

**[Rushed handwriting starts off the entry.]**

53 I

Rubble isn't what I wanted to see! I've landed inside the explosion site, at the exact spot where this all happened.

 **[Handwriting turns normal.]**

You know what? I think I know what the scavenger hunt was for. I think it was all just a ploy for me to gain hope while the ring probably slowly started to break, all to be brought to the moment where I'd meet Ranth's grandfather. He has to be the one who can help me and future me knew that. There just needed to be a year of time to go by before the ring teleported me to him.

 **[Handwriting becomes rushed.]**

Someone's here. Wait, that's me singing.

Shoot! This is the moment when I found those scavenger hunt papers!


	38. Page 37

**[A page is ripped out.]**


	39. Page 38

**[A page is ripped out.]**


	40. Page 39

The ring didn't teleport me out so I had to hide behind some bent up metal or something that looked like that and prayed my glow wouldn't reveal me. Though when that was the past me, I didn't see any glow so I didn't really have anything to freak out about.

Ah. There I go.

 **[Handwriting is normal.]**

Do you think I'll be able to walk all the way back to my apartment in the dark without getting lost? I'd like to say my memory is pretty good but considering how Anna's face is fading in my mind…

I need to get those clothes.

 **[Handwriting is sloppy.]**

They aren't here! I've literally tore up the whole place. Someone must have come in here and took it or or

No. NO! This can't be happening! I'm so close! Thi

 **[The word cuts off.]**

 **[The following two words takes up two rows.]**

Hair ties!

I put her hair ties in my hair! YES

Now come on ring and teleport me! I'm so close. Just work!


	41. Page 40

**[The page is badly torn out.]**


	42. Page 41

**[The page is badly torn out.]**


	43. Page 42

**[The page is badly torn out.]**


	44. Page 43

**[The page is full of scribbled words where it almost looks like a block of black.]**


	45. Page 44

**[Handwriting is normal.]**

The ring broke.

That's it.

 **[There's a line across the page.]**


	46. Page 45

**[Handwriting is normal.]**

Still don't know where Anna's clothes are. Couldn't have been future me cause I can't time travel anymore.

You know what I just realized? I left my bag at the octoling camp. Can't seem to keep track of my backpacks. Not like it matters anymore. It's not like I needed cups and pens and whatever else I collected.

 **[There's a line across the page.]**


	47. Page 46

**[Handwriting is normal.]**

I'm not going to write in here anymore. There isn't a point now.

 **[There's a line across the page.]**


	48. Page 47

**[Handwriting is normal.]**

It's been a couple months since I wrote in here and I know I said I wouldn't but I've been thinking. It's something that's been lingering in the deepest part of my head. How did I get the ring in the first place? How did my life get to this? Like I remember Judd giving me it and that's when it started this whole ring journey but how did he get it? How did the ring get in his possession? It's been so long but I think he said he got it from someone. Does that mean there's someone else out there that knows about the ring that I haven't met yet? Or is that just a coincidence? I guess this is just a mystery that's not going to get solved. It's not like it matters, just a lingering thought.

Oh. I did go and try to see Papil again but apparently he moved to a new part of town called Inkopolis Square. It's about 20 blocks away from the plaza. I wonder why he didn't tell me when we last met. Then again I don't even remember how long ago I last saw him was.

 **[There's a line across the page.]**


	49. Page 48

**[Handwriting is normal.]**

To whoever finds this journal and has read everything in it till this point, I sadly write that there isn't going to be anything more to read. This is the last page and you can be sure about that. You have read through my adventure, getting a glimpse of what I've been through and what I've done and I hope it doesn't fade with each day that goes by without me holding onto it. I just want to let you know (to give a bit of a resolution) that I'm finally going back to Anna. Ranth's grandfather didn't become the creator of time travel on stupidity.

He was so old when he approached me next to Inkopolis Tower. (Not to mention he's probably the first Octoling to ever set foot here.) His clothes were loose fitting and head hung low so his hat covered his eyes. He reminded me of that old guy who lurked around the plaza time to time, next to the drain. Now that I think about it, I don't see him anymore. Anyways, he had waited for me for the rest of his dwindling life, not wanting to break the promise he made. I mean...I didn't really know how to feel that he'd kept that promise for so long but I couldn't be more thankful.

I had handed him Anna's hair ties that I always use to pull my hair up which he used to complete a ring he kept. As you might imagine, my emotions were all over the place because after almost a year, I had come to terms that I had to keep living without her, without Anna. It really was a moment that I'll never forget.

 **[Handwriting is a bit more flowing.]**

He actually used a temporary ring, like a makeshift prototype, and just worked it to a destination. I'll never understand the science behind it (I feel like I wrote that a lot but I really won't. It's amazing) but it doesn't matter cause I'm going back. It doesn't matter.

If Ranth's grandfather, an octoling, can help an inkling like me get back together with Anna, then friendly relationships between us can't be that hard to accomplish. I'm sure one day Inkopolis will have octolings walking the streets side by side with inklings. One day.

But after waiting almost three years, repeatedly jumping between two different times, all I want...all I want is to see Anna again.

So…

 **[The following word is written in calligraphy.]**

Farewell.


	50. Back Cover

**[The back cover is worn down with one corner slightly dented, as if it was thrown at a wall.]**


End file.
